Month: August 2016

1 Corinthians 3: 3, The New English Bible “Can you not see that while there is jealousy and strife among you, you are living on the purely human level of your lower nature?”

Dear God,

Thank You for all things, which includes the ability to enjoy life as I endeavour to be Your blessing to others.  Please again fill me with the Holy Spirit, as well as enable me to develop the fruits of the Spirit, for I am not naturally loving, kind, gentle or any of the other attributes that develop in a true Christian.  I am encouraged as I read in Your Holy word, that many of Your fine spiritual children therein portrayed, were not naturally expressing love and all the other gifts of the Spirit, at the beginning of their experience either.  As they gave their whole heart and life to You, they gradually grew in Your graces; therefore so can I (we all).  However Paul when writing in 1 Corinthians 3: 1 and 2 chides the believers for not having advanced (or having reverted) beyond being stuck at the level they were in at first, when he first starting ministering to them as, “infants in Christ” and needing “milk to drink, instead of solid food”.  They were still not ready for solid food; “for you are still on the merely natural plane”, manifesting the fruits of their “lower nature”, such as envy, strife and causing divisions, and behaving like mere man and not one of God’s Spirit filled children.  I perceive that such behaviours within the corporate body of the congregation, are ‘me’ focused, instead of God focused, aiming at glorifying Him by being His tool in building up the congregation.

I see, that as a member within Your church congregation, I am a fellow labourer in “God’s field” as well as being a part of “God’s building”, and along with each other person, have my own individual contribution to make to the whole building, with Jesus Christ being the foundation of all our endeavour, as found in 1 Corinthians 3: 9 – 11.

I find it life changing to believe, that my physical body is of great value and beloved by You as my Creator.  You love me so much that You desire to come and dwell in me, and have a relationship, V16 “Surely you know that you are God’s temple, where the Spirit of God dwells.”  Please give me Your wisdom and strength, so that I have the right understanding of the knowledge that comes across my path, and so be enabled to look after my whole body and mind, in the way set out.  I can also see You will fill any lack in the desire and ability to care for my physical and spiritual body, because to do so is life preserving now and in the hereafter, V17 “Anyone who destroys God’s temple will himself be destroyed by God, because the temple of God is holy; and that temple you are.”

I know that because I have been privileged to learn of You and ways to look after my bodily temple; You have also challenged me to share some of my passion and knowledge.  I humbly ask for Your direction, ability and strength to share with others, at this time of my lesser than previous ability, and previous lost opportunities.

Amen

 

1 Corinthians 2: 9 “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’”

Dear God,

How good it is to read these words and contemplate Your message for me (and all who read).  Paul writes that he did not come as a good orator or theologian, when declaring the testimony of God in 1 Corinthians 2: 2 “For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”  Paul also gave testimony, that his words were, V4, 5 “………’in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

I give thanks that You delight to fill us with the Holy Spirit when we are truly and humbly seeking You.  Praises to Your Holy name, that this same Spirit, will lead and empower us in all ways needful, at the same time, please fill us with the assurance that our prayers of faith will be answered, v10 “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”  Obviously we cannot come to a full and right understanding of spiritual things on our own as sinful beings, and it is as Paul points out in V11”For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”  I thank You Lord for the help and comfort of Your gift of the Holy Spirit, and the increased understanding of You and Your word, that comes more and more by reading and meditating: V12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”

For the unbelieving, unrepentant sinner, the inspired words of scripture do not impact or convict; unless Your Spirit intervenes.  Often I have found that I have poor wisdom and understanding of many spiritual themes, yet the Holy Spirit has gradually been leading me over the years, and I rejoice that I have grown in belief and faith with the increasing years.

To know and love You becomes sweeter and sweeter each increasing day!

Amen

1 Corinthians 1: 2 “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.”

Dear God,

Thank You that I can freely read the inspired scriptures and please bless me with Your insights and wisdom, as I meditate upon chapter 1 of 1 Corinthians.  In his usual way Paul sends his greetings to the group who had accepted Jesus Christ and the teaching of Paul, whilst he was previously in Corinth.  We all can choose to be sanctified in Christ Jesus and are then called to be saints; and in his absence Paul reminded his fellow believers of this.

All we have to do is acknowledge our need and appeal to Jesus Christ, who alone sanctifies us and covers us with His righteousness, which allows us to be called saints.  Most of us are reluctant to refer to ourselves as a saint, because of what we know about our inner self, consolidating in our minds that we certainly are not a saint; but how humbling and uplifting at the same time to believe and accept that when I am covered by the robe of Christ’s righteousness, You, God, see me not as I am, but how Jesus is.

Paul who had received much grace, wishes others to be so blessed, V3 “Grace to You and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Please God, prompt me to pray for my fellow believers more often, and to ask for them, as I would ask for myself and family, to be blessed abundantly.  I have noted that in the scriptures and in Your Spirit filled believers of all time; their Christian practice is characterized by caring deeply about the spiritual condition of their contacts, associates and friends, as did our Saviour Jesus Christ whilst on earth.  They truly rejoice/d when others learned to love and continue to serve You faithfully; because their own love for You was so deep and enduring, that they want/d all to know and experience Your loving grace and peace, in association with heart uplifting closeness to You.

I thank You Lord, for I also experience Your loving grace and peace, in increasing amounts as I come close to You. Now I can believe that I will also be given an ever deepening and enduring love for You, along with the desire and enabling to reach out to others in love.  It has been for me as it was for the congregation at Corinth, V5 – 7……..”enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I give praise for these wonderful thoughts taught and written by Paul about all of the salvation story and what is offered freely from heaven for me and all I know and meet.

Amen

 

Matthew 7: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.”

Dear God,

You are a God of love, and You are filled with sorrow when I (we) turn from You and do bad things, even though all the while You continue to love us yearningly, for You want us to be in a relationship with You.  One sided though that relationship must always be; because You are the God of infinite power, knowledge and ability, as well of untarnished purity; and we are sinful, created beings, of totally lesser power, knowledge and ability. To our finite mind it is mostly incomprehensible how great the love You have for each of us.

Very often, even though we think we love You devotedly, and always want to do Your will, our love can be shallow, opinionated and self-righteous, which can cause me (us) from interpreted lofty heights of right doing, to judge another, rather coldly, for some wrong doing.  Jesus, who never sinned in His human body whilst on earth, is our example, for He loves all people despite their wrong doing, and all the time in love and compassion endeavours to turn each person around from their wrong doing and rebellion.

It is Your unreserved love of us in all circumstances, that wins our response, even if at first by a tenuous hope that it is really true; and as we accept You in repentance, and You turn us around, so we can learn to love, obey You and then we cannot refrain from being a witness to all Your needy children, no matter the circumstance.

Draw me close and forgive me for my unloving uncaring thoughts toward others, and turn me around, and again fill me with Your love, that cannot keep from loving others, and upholding them in prayer in all circumstances, remembering the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2 “For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Thank You, dear Jesus for hearing my prayer to be filled with more love, and to be able to manifest Your way of dealing with any wrongs committed by another.  It is good that the Holy Spirit brings balance back into my estimation of my own life, and reveals my own wrongs and then provides the desire and ability to make them right in confession, as well as overcome these sins and turn from them.

To my Saviour, Jesus, I sincerely give thanks for the promise in Matthew 7: 7, 8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

With gratitude I believe Your promises and with joy I walk free from my confessed sins, with Your love and gift of the Holy Spirit within my heart; and my sinful self, clothed in Your righteousness over my own unrighteousness.   Hallelujah, for today my soul feels light and soars toward the God of heaven!

Amen

Psalm 104: 33, 34 “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my god while I have my being.  May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad to the Lord.”

Dear God,

I acknowledge You as Almighty God, as well as Creator God and the One who is merciful, long suffering, and the One who loves to hear our prayers, and do us good, now and in eternity.  I find that it only brings happiness, and sense of security and joy, to think upon all You have revealed of Yourself to various people during their life, and all that we learn of You and the implemented plan of salvation, through Jesus in Your recorded word, through the Bible characters who wrote of their experiences with You, and Your mighty works and interventions towards them, as well Your revelations of Yourself through angels and dreams.  I give praise that Your mighty works and interventions toward those who pray, have not stopped with the Bible characters, and still occur in these days.

I am very thankful that You have filled my mind with gratitude and praise today, along with the peace and calmness that has come from my meditation upon You and the scriptures this morning.  I have learned through science that there is a positive influence upon our health and longevity when we have an attitude of gratitude.  The good thing is that to acknowledge You and then learn to love You certainly widens the scope of the things to be grateful for.   I have been given inner joy when meditating upon, all Your creative works; blessings and gifts; Your answers to my prayers of all types; such as the ability to cope with adversity; the help in times of need and deliverance by divine intervention.  The psalmist in Psalm 105: 1,2 admonishes Your people to give thanks and call upon Your name, and to tell others about Your deeds; which is not only good manners, but also takes our mind off ourselves and lifts up the emotions when they down.  You have thankfully created us to feel joy on such occasions, and singing can be a spontaneous response which you also made as another way to give us good emotional health.

The Psalms which were inspired by You are wonderful examples of songs of praise, and an exposé of Your wondrous works, as well as giving glory to You Holy name.  Today dear God fill me with Your joy and praise, as I read Psalm 105: 4, 5 “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!  Remember His marvellous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth.”

Amen

 

Psalm 104: 1, 2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul!  O lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honour and majesty.  Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.”

Dear God,

Without the evidences of Your love and creative power, I cannot imagine I could live at peace on this earth, for because of these I am reassured and kept secure in my mind.  Please cause me to more often stop and appreciate Your might, power and merciful love toward all mankind.  I believe I only live because of Your loving power that first created me and has sustained me over these long years.  Praise Your blessed name, for not only have I been sustained, but blessed, with my prayers of desperation heard and answered, as well as those of thanks and praise.

I find always, that it is good for my mind and soul to think of You and Your creative works, instead of my worries and woes.  As I reflect, I wonder why sometimes I take so long to do so, when rich blessings always result when I do so.  Please on this new day, keep my mind focused upon You and Your works.  I have been reminded of the universe and the clouds in Psalm 104: 3 “…..the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind.” V4 “Who makes His angels spirits, His minister’s a flame of fire.”  You made the foundations of the earth immovable, as well as the oceans and the seas, which respond to Your voice, V9 “You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth.”  You have promised that there will never be a world-wide flood again.  All nature has been made by Your creative power, and You provide springs of water for the animals, insects and birds, You created, as well as grass and vegetation; the trees have sap, and provide a dwelling and protection for birds and some animals.  V19, 20 “He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun know it’s going down.  You make darkness, and it is night, to which all beasts of the forest creep about.”  There is so much more I could mention and give You praise about, V 24, 25 “O Lord, how manifold are Your works!  In wisdom You have made them all.  The earth is full of Your possessions – this great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great.”

As I think on all creation from the largest, farthest, to the smallest, and all I know about that has come from You Almighty God and Creator, I cannot keep silent and thoughts of thanks and praise ascend from my awed and grateful, almost incredulous mind!  Bringing home that I am just one very small part of Your creation, but still of infinite value to You; confirmed by the life and sacrificial death of Jesus on my (all) behalf).

The words form in my humbled mind, “all to Jesus I surrender”.

Amen

Romans 15: 1, 2 “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification.”

Dear God,

All praise to You, my God and Creator, for another day has dawned and I thank You for it, as well as for a good sleep last night, and for my life thus far, and the anticipation of further days, by Your love and care.  For during each day I receive multiple blessings and answers to my prayers.  I sincerely ask again, for Your love and wisdom, in all that I do, and especially so that I can be a blessing to others.

It is good for me to be reminded in the writings of Paul, that we cannot live for ourselves when we have Jesus in the heart, for He did not, and instead gave of Himself and time; teaching, ministering and healing for much of each day.  I know that each of us has been given different gifts and opportunities, and in each fellowship of believers in Christ, we can be a blessing to each other in many ways.

We read the scriptures, Romans 15: 4 “…….for our learning and we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”   I am so thankful, for the precious time it is, when I read individually read Your word, quietly at the beginning of each day, as well as to be able to share with others individually or in a group about what each has learned in their quiet readings.  The blessings are intensified when we all desire to learn and be able to discern Your will, and individually be drawn closer to You our God.

Please prompt us each day to pray for the Holy Spirit to infill us, so in unity, we can put aside any desire for supremacy, and instead be able to seek to know Jesus with a whole, undivided heart.  Romans 15: 5, 6 “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God  I give my flawed self to You again today in the knowledge that You accept me, and grant my request for the Holy Spirit to fill me, and make up for all my deficiencies; as I desire to understand scripture and to be Your blessing, as with others I share a scripture and study times.

Amen

 

 

James 1: 27 “Pure religion and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

Dear God,

I thank You for Your everlasting love and mercy toward me, as well as all care and provision for all my needs.  I am absolutely grateful for salvation through Christ Jesus, along with the peace and security that is given, and interventions, that despite myself, bring me to rest in Your love, no matter what happens around me.  Of late I have battled to retain Your peace, and have found my only answer, is to again consciously surrender myself to You, and cry out in my need, sometimes all through the day, and I am immensely grateful, for You always answer with Your peace; that stays or goes quickly according how I keep my mind stayed upon You.

Psalm 102: 1, 2 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come to You.  Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; incline Your ear to me; in the day that I call, answer me speedily.”  Because I have found that You give us comfort and peace when we pray in surrender and need, I do desire that others, who are afflicted in any way, would also realise and experience Your care and blessing upon them.  Some people that I know who are afflicted, although they still believe in You, have not followed You truly or asked for help at this time.  Please lift them up to Yourself and fill their mind and heart with the desire to surrender themselves to You in prayer with belief and the patience to wait for Your peace, as they put themselves and their sins aside.

Please fill my heart and mind with Your wisdom, love and thoughts, so that if impressed by You, I can help another by sharing Your love, care and help.  Take away any inhibitions, so that I can be Your agent to any other person; who is as I am Your creation and precious in Your sight.

I also pray that when appropriate, that anyone who is the situation to help the ‘fatherless and widows’ will be willing to be Your human agent powered by Your supernatural power, and we who claim to be Your children, will not forget to pray for them often, for You have a 1000 ways to answer their need that we know nothing about.  For every one who is afflicted in anyway, I desire that they also would have the comfort and promises of Your scriptures. I have seen that sometimes You use a person to introduce another to Your word by miraculous interventions; which may also be independent interventions by the Holy Spirit alone.

Psalm 102: 17, 18 “He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer.  This will be written for generations to come, that people yet to be created may praise the Lord.”

I rest in the assurance that You never leave us alone and we truly, are cherished by You.

Amen

 

Romans 14: 12, 13 “So then each of shall give account of himself to God.  Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

Dear God,

I cannot keep from thanking You for this new day and for another day of life, as well as expressing my gratitude for Your care and providence’s of yesterday and for all of my days lived; thus far.  Again I say that I cherish Your love, guidance and the many answers to my prayers.

In any company or group, it is easy to pass judgement upon the actions of others, and upon their motives; which we cannot know or rightly judge, unless the person reveals their thinking upon these matters. In his writings, Paul in Romans 14 addresses these types of issues, because sadly these behaviours also occur in Christian groups, because people can tend to ‘mind anothers businesses’.

Romans 14: 7 “For none of us lives to himself and no one dies to himself” evidently in Rome, people were being judged for what, how and when they ate.  Please forgive me for anytime that I have treated another unfairly this way, or thought I could be their conscience: especially with an adult child.  By Your Spirit prompt me instead to pray for myself and them, and allow Your to Spirit strive with us both.  Thank You for hearing my prayer.

For many living in this age, it is so easy to pass judgement upon another who eats in an unhealthful manner to the detriment of their health; especially when the person passing judgement is a person who tries to eat and live healthfully.  However we need to remember that abiding by the laws for health, will not save us from sin, for it is not what I eat, but my reliance on Jesus that answers my every need.  Though it is true because it is Your gift to me and because I love You, that I will learn over time and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to honour my body and treat it well.

My progress upon my Christian walk is very different from that of another, and as I live for Jesus and learn to claim His promises, believing He will lead and convict me, along with all of those who love and petition You, according to our personal need.

Please convict me and be my strength, when I become drawn into uncharitable judgement of others on the basis of what they eat or generally do. I also pray that I will heed the impressions of ‘the still small voice’, and in response humbly bow before You and remember, Romans 14: 10, 11 “But why do you judge your brother?  Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall stand before the judgement seat of Christ.  For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue confess to God.’”

Amen

Romans 12: 1, 2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of Your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Dear God,

I have many blessings for which I give thanks and feel compelled to do so this morning.  I also ask to be filled with Your love, wisdom and power today; so that I can be Your true child and representative, in all that I do and with all I meet.  When so filled by Your power, love and wisdom, I can present my body as ‘a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God’; and be strengthened so that I will not be enamoured by worldly possessions and pursuits, and instead to be motivated to focus on You, God, as well as upon the activities that uphold Your standards for living, and draw me closer to You.  All the time it is You who will enable me to be of benefit to others and be transformed daily by the renewing of my mind, producing in me the thoughts and actions that are good and acceptable to Your perfect will.  I am so glad that, as Your love does its work within my heart I will be changed and be made more like You; within and without.

I take note that, Paul the writer of the book of Romans, counseled the church group to which he was writing, to respect and love one another in a way that is not self-focused causing them to put ourselves forward as the only one who has adequate abilities or knowledge about how a thing should be done or happen, but instead to understand and interact with others, affirming each as an individual part of the whole body.  I long to be more filled with Your love, and thereby give love to others as a refection of the love of Jesus within my heart; which will not be self-focused and be expecting recognition or praise.  Romans 12: 10 – 13 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; not lacking in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”

I sadly acknowledge that I am still very lacking in feeling and showing love to others, no matter the type of person or the situation.  But I also know that ALL true love comes from You, and my lack will be answered when I repent, believe and ask!  I sincerely ask, that Jesus will come into my heart and I will accept the gifts He is so ready to fill me with; for to be Your loving ‘vessel’ is my earnest desire!

Amen